Pulling exerciser

Abstract
A pulling exerciser according to one embodiment of the invention includes a chest expander having a first handle at one end, two second handles at an opposite end, and a plurality of elastic cord members detachably connected between the first handle and the second handles, a coupling belt secured to the first handle by hook and loop materials, and a transverse bar inserted through a respective loop at each of the two distal ends of the coupling belt and adapted to secure the pulling exerciser to a top or bottom door gap for enabling the user to pull the second handles to exercise the muscles of the arms.
Description




BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to physical exercising apparatus and, more specifically, to a simple, inexpensive pulling exerciser for exercising the muscles of the arms and/or the legs.




A variety of physical exercising apparatus have been disclosed for exercising the muscles of different parts of the body, and have appeared on the market. These conventional physical exercising apparatus are commonly heavy, complicated, and expensive.




The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a pulling exerciser, which can conveniently be secured to a door gap for pulling with the hand(s) or the leg(s) in any of a variety of postures to exercise the muscles of the arms or the legs. It is another object of the present invention to provide a pulling exerciser, which has means for fastening to the leg(s) for enabling the user to exercise the muscles of the leg(s). It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pulling exerciser, which can conveniently be adjusted to provide different resisting force to fit different exercising requirements. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pulling exerciser, which is inexpensive to manufacture. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pulling exerciser, which requires less storage space when not in use. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pulling exerciser comprises a first handle, two second handles, a plurality of elastic cord members detachably connected between the first handle and the second handles, a coupling belt fastened to the first handle by hook and loop materials, and a transverse bar inserted through loops at the two distal ends of the coupling belt and adapted for securing the pulling exercising to a door gap. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the chest expander is comprised of a first handle, a second handle, and a plurality of elastic cord members connected between the first handle and the second handle, and a connecting belt is fastened to the second handle by hook and loop materials to hold a gaiter for securing to the user's leg for enabling the user to exercise the muscles of the leg. In either embodiment, each handle comprises a plurality of screw rods arranged in parallel at one side, and each elastic cord member has two swivel nuts respectively disposed at two distal ends and adapted for selectively threading onto the screw rods of the handles.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OE THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of a pulling exerciser constructed according to a first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is an elevational assembly view of the pulling exerciser according to the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 3

shows the pulling exerciser of the first embodiment hung on the top of the door panel for exercise according to the present invention.





FIG. 4

shows the pulling exerciser of the first embodiment stopped at the bottom side of the door panel for exercise according to the present invention.





FIG. 5

is an exploded view of a pulling exerciser constructed according to a second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 6

is an elevational assembly view of the pulling exerciser of the second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 7

shows an exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 8

shows another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 9

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 10

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 11

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 12

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 13

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 14

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 15

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 16

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 17

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 18

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 19

shows an exercising example of the second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 20

shows another exercising example of the second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 21

is an elevational view of a pulling exerciser constructed according to a third embodiment of the present invention, showing the gaiters fastened to the user's legs.





FIG. 22

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 23

shows still another exercising example of the first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 24

is an exploded view of a pulling exerciser constructed according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 25

is an elevational assembly view of the pulling exerciser of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 26

shows an exercising example of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 27

shows another exercising example of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a pulling exerciser constructed according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a chest expander


1


, a transverse bar


2


, and a belt


4


. The chest expander


1


is comprised of a plurality of handles, for example, one first handle


11


and two second handles


12


, and a plurality of elastic cord members


3


. In Figures from


1


through


4


, two elastic cord members


3


are connected between the first handle


11


and the second handles


12


. The first handle


11


and the second handles


12


are identical, each comprising a center opening


110


or


120


, a handgrip


111


or


121


disposed at one side of the center opening


110


or


120


, and an axle hole


1111


or


1211


axially extended through the handgrip


111


or


121


. The belt


4


is inserted through the center opening


110


of the first handle


11


, having a first loop


41


and a second loop


42


respectively provided two distal ends of the inner sidewall thereof and coupled to the transverse bar


2


, a tape of loop material


411


fixedly provided at one end of the inner sidewall adjacent to the first loop


41


, and a tape of hook material


43


fixedly provided at the other end of the inner sidewall adjacent to the second loop


42


and adapted for fastening to the tape of loop material


411


. The transverse bar


2


is inserted through the axial hole


410


of the first loop


41


and the axial hole


420


of the second loop


42


to secure the ends of the belt


4


together, having two end caps


22


fastened to two distal ends thereof. The elastic cord members


3


each comprise two swivel connectors


31


respectively disposed at two distal ends. The swivel connectors


31


each define a screw hole


311


. The handles


11


and


12


each comprise a plurality of screw rods


112


or


122


outwardly disposed at one side of the respective center opening


110


or


120


opposite to the handgrip


111


or


121


. The elastic cord members


3


are detachably fastened to the handles


11


and


12


by selectively threading the screw hole


311


of each swivel connector


31


onto the screw rods


112


or


122


of the handles


11


or


12


.




Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 4

and FIGS. from


7


through


18


, the belt


4


of the pulling exerciser can be inserted through the gap


61


between the top edge of the door panel


5


and the top rail of the door frame


6


(see

FIG. 3

) or the gap


71


between the bottom edge of the door panel


5


and the floor


7


(see FIG.


4


), for enabling the transverse bar


2


to be stopped at the back side of the door panel


5


after closing the door panel


5


. At this time, the user can pull the second handles


12


with the one hand or both hands to exercise the muscles of the arms when standing, bending the legs, sitting, or lying on the floor


7


with the face, the back, or one lateral side of the body facing the door panel


5


.




In the application example shown in

FIG. 22

, the second handles


12


are hung on the user's feet


91


, and the transverse bar


2


is held in the user's hands


92


. By pulling the transverse bar


2


with the hands


92


, the muscles of the arms are exercised.




In the application example shown in

FIG. 23

, the transverse bar


2


is put on the floor, the user stands on the floor with the feet


91


stepped on the transverse bar


2


and the hands


92


holding the second handles


12


. When pulling the second handles


12


with the hands


92


, the elastic cord members


3


impart a resisting force to the user's hands


92


, and thus the muscles of the hands


92


are exercised.





FIGS. 5 and 6

show a pulling exerciser constructed according to a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the pulling exerciser comprises a chest expander


1


, which is comprised of a first handle


11


, a second handle


12


and at least one elastic cord member


3


connected between the first handle


11


and the second handle


12


, a transverse bar


2


, a belt


4


coupled between the first handle


11


and the transverse bar


2


, a gaiter


82


adapted for fastening to the user's leg


91


, and a connecting belt


81


adapted for securing the gaiter


82


to the second handle


12


.The connecting belt


81


is provided with a fixed tape of hook material


811


and a fixed tape of loop material


812


, a D-shaped ring


813


, and a carbin hook


83


coupled to the ring


813


and adapted to secure the gaiter


82


to the connecting belt


81


. The fixed tape of hook material


811


and the fixed tape of loop material


812


are hooked up to secure the connecting belt


81


to the handgrip


121


of the second handle


12


. The carbin hook


83


comprises an open ring-like hook body


830


, two screw rods


832


and


833


respectively extended from two distal ends of the hook body


830


and aimed at each other, and an adjustment nut


834


threaded onto the screw rods


832


and


833


and rotated forwards/backwards to close/open the gap


831


between the screw rods


832


and


833


. The gaiter


82


comprises a belt fitting


823


adapted to adjust the gaiter


82


to fit the user's leg


91


, a fixed tape of hook material


821


and a fixed tape of loop material


822


adapted for securing the gaiter


82


to the user's leg


91


, and a D-shaped ring


84


adapted for securing the gaiter


82


to the carbin hook


83


of the connecting belt


81


.

FIGS. 19 and 20

show two different exercising examples of the pulling exerciser according to the second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 21

shows a pulling exerciser constructed according to a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the pulling exerciser comprises two gaiters


82


respectively detachably fastened to the user's two legs


91


, and an elastic cord member


30


connected between the gaiters


82


. The elastic cord member


30


comprises two swivel connectors


301


at two ends respectively connected to the D-shaped ring


84


of each of the gaiters


82


. The gaiters


82


are identical to that of the aforesaid second embodiment of the present invention.





FIGS. 24 and 25

show a pulling exerciser constructed according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the pulling exerciser comprises a chest expander


1


, and two transverse bars


2


. The chest expander


1


is comprised of a first handle


11


, a second handle


12


, and three elastic cord members


3


detachably connected between the first handle


11


and the second handle


12


. The structure of the handles


11


and


12


and the structure of the elastic cord members


3


are identical to the handles and elastic cord members of the aforesaid embodiments. The transverse bars


2


are respectively fastened to the axle holes


1111


and


1211


of the handles


11


and


12


.

FIGS. 26 and 27

show two different exercising examples of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.




Referring to

FIGS. 24 and 26

, the handgrip


111


or


121


of each handle


11


or


12


comprises a plurality of locating holes


1101


or


1201


respectively disposed on the inside in communication with the respective axle hole


1111


or


1211


; each transverse bar


2


has at least one spring-supported locating pin


21


adapted to engage the locating holes


1101


or


1201


in the handgrip


111


or


112


of the corresponding handle


11


or


12


.




As indicated above, the invention achieves the following advantages:




1. After the door panel


5


has been closed and the transverse bar


2


has been retained to the door panel


5


at the top or bottom side, the user can pull the second handles


12


with the hand or hands to exercise the muscles of the arm(s) when standing or sitting behind the door (see Figures from


7


through


18


).




2. The pulling exerciser can be used with the connecting belt


81


and the gaiter


82


for exercising the muscles of the leg (see FIGS.


19


and


20


).




3. The loops


41


and


42


can be made of fabric material and respectively fastened to the belt


4


by stitches to save the manufacturing cost of the pulling exerciser.




4. The transverse bar


2


can be a plain rod member for insertion through the loops


41


and


42


of the belt


4


, so that the diameter of the transverse bar


2


can be minimized.




5. Because the elastic cord members


3


are fastened to the handles


11


and


12


by a screw joint, the connection between the elastic cord members


3


and the handles


11


and


12


is tight; further, the belt


4


is a high-strength fabric belt. which is durable in use.




6. Two transverse bars


2


can be used with the chest expander


1


for pulling exercises (see Figures from


24


through


27


).




7. Because the elastic cord members


3


each have two swivel connectors


31


at two distal ends for selectively fastened to the screw rods


112


and


122


of the handles


11


and


12


, the user can adjust the resisting force of the chest expander


1


to fit different exercising requirements.




A prototype of pulling exerciser has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings. The pulling exerciser functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.




Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A pulling exerciser comprising:a chest expander, said chest expander comprising a first handle, at least one second handle, at least one elastic cord member detachably connected between said first handle and said at least one second handle, said first handle and said at least one second handle each comprising a center opening, a handgrip disposed at one side of said center opening, said handgrip defining an axially extended axle hole, and a plurality of screw rods disposed at one side of said center opening opposite to the respective handgrip, said at least one elastic cord member each comprising two swivel cap nuts respectively disposed at two distal ends and adapted for threading onto one screw rod of said first handle and one screw rod of one of said at least one second handle; at least one transverse bar fitting the axle hole of the handgrip of each of said first handle and said at least one second handle; and a coupling belt inserted through the center opening of said first handle and coupled to one of said at least one transverse bar, said coupling belt comprising a first loop and a second loop respectively disposed at two distal ends thereof and respectively coupled to one of said at least one transverse bar, a fixed tape of hook material and a fixed tape of loop material adapted to secure the two distal ends of said coupling belt together after insertion of said coupling belt through the center opening of said first handle.
  • 2. The pulling exerciser of claim 1 further comprising a connecting belt fastened to said at least one second handle, and a gaiter coupled to said connecting belt and adapted to secure said connecting belt to the user's leg, said connecting belt comprising a fixed tape of hook material and a fixed tape of loop material adapted for fastening said connecting belt to said at least one second handle, a connecting ring, and a carbin hook coupled to said connecting ring, said carbin hook comprising an open ring, said open ring having two screw rods disposed at two distal ends thereof and aimed at each other and spaced from each other by a gap, and a screw nut threaded onto the screw rods of carbin hook and rotated forwards/backwards to close/open said gap, said gaiter comprising a fixed tape of hook material and a fixed tape of loop material adapted to secure said gaiter to the user's leg, and a connecting ring adapted for securing to said carbin hook.
  • 3. A pulling exerciser comprising:a chest expander, said chest expander comprising a first handle, a second handle, at least one elastic cord member detachably connected between said first handle and said second handle, said first handle and said second handle each comprising a center opening, a handgrip disposed at one side of said center opening, said handgrip defining an axially extended axle hole and at least one locating hole disposed on the inside in communication with said axially extended axle hole, and a plurality of screw rods disposed at one side of said center opening opposite to the respective handgrip, said at least one elastic cord member each comprising two swivel cap nuts respectively disposed at two distal ends and adapted for selectively threading onto the screw rods of said first handle and said second handle; and two transverse bars respectively fastened to the axle hole of each of said first handle and said second handle, said transverse bars each comprising at least one spring-supported locating pin adapted to engage the at least one locating hole in the handgrip of each of said first handle and said second handle.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
2930614 McIntosh Mar 1960 A
3427023 Silberman Feb 1969 A
4722526 Yang Feb 1988 A
5569135 Chen Oct 1996 A
5665040 Ho Sep 1997 A
5885196 Gyorch Mar 1999 A